Convertible car.



No. 69|,35|. v I Patented 1an. 2|), |902..

J. A. BRILL.

CONVERTIBLE CAR.

" Appucmn med Fab. 1,1901.)

2 Sheats-Sheet l.

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No. 69|,35L Patented 1an. 2|, |902.

J. A. mLL.

CUNVERTIBLE CAR.

. A (Appumon med Feb. 1,1901.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

@Vf-WWW UNITED STATI-3s PATENT OFFICE;

JOIIN A. BRILL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CONVERTIBLE CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 691,351, dated January 21, 1902.

Application tiled February l, 1901. Serial No. 45,548. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. BRILL, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia and State ot Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Convertible Railway- Cars, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is the production of a new and improved car Which-shall ret-ain the necessary and standard dimensions affecting seating capacity and at the same time admit of much smaller over-all or outside transverse measurement than is possible with the ordinary car and which at the same time shall not sacrifice other desirable and con venient features.

The invention relates more particularly to the class of cars having a double row of transverse seats, with an aisle through the center of the car, and which are convertible or semiconvertible from summer to winter cars, or vice versa.

The demands of service and trafck in certain localities, as Where there are narrow streets or other obstructions, require that the car shall have the standard seating capacity, be convertible or semiconvertible, and still have less Width than is usual. Forexample, should the necessities of some cases require a car having the following characteristics. I know of no construction prior to my invention which would answer the purpose-viz., a double row of transverse seats of the usual length-say thirty-four inches-and an aisle also of the standard width-say eighteen inches-between them and which shall have means for readily converting the same from summer to winter use, or vice versa, and of a width over all transversely of, say, about seven feet six inches. A car having such capacities, so far as I am. aware, was never produced before my invention. With the usual arrangement of seats against the upright posts and a casing between the posts in which to drop the sash or sash-panels to open the car about eight feet two and one-half inches A are required for the total width of the car.

sults, however, in a thoroughly practical inanner by dispensing with the casings belining- 9.

tween the posts as a place for the removable panels by placing the seats between the upright posts against the car side and by providing means for storing the movable panels in the top of the car,which construction results in a self-contained convertible car, the sides of which can be readily opened or closed, of greatly-red uced width, while at the saine time maintaining standard seat lengths and aisle widths. p

The invention further consists iu the novel combination of parts hereinafter described, and further pointed out iu the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, in which the same reference-numerals represent like parts throughout the several Views, and in vwhich-- Figure l is a vertical cross-sectional View showing the panels down on one side of the car and raised into the roof storage-space on the other, with the seats arranged between the posts, as hereinafter described. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the car with-the top removed above the line 2 2, Fig. 1, showing the seat and post arrangements; and Fig. 3. is a cross-section of one of the vertical posts on the line 2 2, Fig. l.

In the figures of the drawings, 2 represent-s the sill, and 3 the floor, of the usual construction. Upright posts 4 or stanchions placed at the ends and at intervals along the car sides are secured to the sill and extend to the usual weather-board 5, the post 4 being preferably provided with integrally made or joined horns, braces, or extensions 6, extending up into the roof of the ventilator-rail 7 and supporting the upper sides of the roofboard 8 and on the inner the ceiling or head- The post extensions thus constitute rafters for the roof, and the space inclosed by them, the root-board, head-lining, and ventilator-rail is utilized for storage purposes, as explained hereinafter. Ot' course any other desired construction of the features so far described may be substituted.

'Ihe side openings of the car which are defined by the posts 4 are closed, in the car shown, bythe stationary upper andlower panels l0 and 1l and the removable panels l2, the lower panel l0, having an outer concave board 10a, and the upper panel 11 both being made of the usual outside contour and ex- IOO tending from the sill to the belt-rail13. The upper panel 11, however, is made as thin as is consistent with strength and other requirements of proper practice and is supported by the said belt-rail and the inner filling-rail 14. This construction maybe any that is desired, the only requirement being that the central portion 11 be made thin-that is, of less depth than the posts-and of sufficient strength. At 14 is the usualinner foot rest 0r board.

Instead of placing the transverse seats against the posts, as is usually done, I place said seats between the posts, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and against or in close juxtaposition to the panels 11, thus allowing of a much greater reduction of the over-alltransverse dimensions of the car than is otherwise obtainable, while maintaining standard dimensions ofseats and aisles. The seats, of any desired construction, so placed are indicated at l5 and the aisle at 16.

In cars having movable saslies or panels it is customary to store or drop the sashes or panels in casings between the lower ends of the posts, the seats being placed against the posts. This in my invention is dispensed with, and I therefore utilize the roof-spaces before mentioned for this purpose. To this end posts and movable panels (or sashes, as the case may be) are suitably constructed to allow the latter to be raised and stored in the roof. Any desired means for this purpose may be used.

I show the postslt extended, as explained, and provided with grooves in their opposing faces, which guide the panels from theirlower or normal positions between the posts to their stored positions inthe roof.

The grooves 17 may be employed, in which trunnious or lugs on the edges of the panels, which are preferably sash-panels made in sections, are adapted to travel and which guide the said panel to its lowermost position as well as to its stored position, the sections of the panel being hinged together the better to pass into and conform to the curvature of the roof storage-space.

Instead of the usual curtain and roller a flexible curtain 1S, composed of slats suitably held together with open spaces therebetween for the passage of the air, is provided, which is adapted to travel also in grooves 19 in the opposing faces of the posts and to be drawn down to the belt-rail 13 or pushed up intothe roof-space, where it lies close to the ceiling or head-lining of the car.

Any preferred means may be provided to keep the sash or curtain in its raised positions,or friction alone may be depended upon for the purpose.

The invention is not to be limited in its broader aspects to removable sash-panels, for it is evident that the movable panels may be of any construction or material and extend down the sides of the car any desired distance, even to the floor.

So, too, any arrangement of a single section-panel or several sections,whether secured together or not, would come within its scope.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

. 1. A car having a roof and lower fixed panels, and openings in itssides above said fixed panels, posts to longitudinally define said openings above the ixedpanels, seats located between said posts, panels movable on the posts to close said openings, and means connected with the roof for receiving and storing the said movable panels.

2. A car having side openings defined longitudinally by spaced posts, fixed paneling of less depth than the posts extending between the lower ends of the posts to close the lower car side, seats located between the posts and abutted `against the said paneling, panels movable between the posts and above the iixed panel to open or close the car side, and storage-spaces formed in the roof to receive and store the movable panels.

3. A car having side openings and a roof, upright posts to longitudinally define said openings, transverse seats located between said posts, movablepanels to close said openings, and means for storing said panels in the roof. l

4. A car having side openings and a storage-space in the roof, upright posts to longitudinally define said openings, transverse seats located between said posts, movable panels to close said openings, and a guiding means for said panels connected with said posts whereby the same may be lifted and stored in the space in the roof.

5. A car having side openings and a storage-space between the roof and the ceiling and head-lining, upright posts t-o longitudinally define said openings, seats located between the posts, movable panels to close said openings, a guiding means for said panels connected with said posts, whereby they may be lifted and stored in the space between the head-lining'and roof.

6. A car having side openings and a laterally-expanded storage-space in the roof, upright posts to longitudinally define said openings, transverse seats located between the posts, means to close said openings, said means including several sash-panels hinged together, and a guiding means for said Sash connected with the said posts and leading to the roof-space whereby the panels may be lifted and stored in the roof-space.

7. A car having side openings and a storage-space in the roof, upright posts to longitudinally define said openings, transverse seats located between the posts, means to close said openings comprising a jointed or two-part panel, and guides on the posts leading to the roof-space whereby the said jointed panel may be raised and stored therein.

8. A car having side openings and a storage-space in the roof, upright posts to longi- IOO IIO

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tudinally define the openings, and having by said grooves, whereby they may be lifted and stored within the roof-space.

10. A car having side openings, a roof having a storage-space therein, upright posts to longitudinally define said openings, a double row of transverse seats located between said posts, an aisle between the rows, means to close said openings including sash-panels adapted to be stored in the roof-space, and curtains for said openings.

11. A car having side openings and inclined storage-spaces in the roof between the roof-boards and ceiling or head-lining, upright posts to longitudinally define the openings, and having grooves on their opposing faces or sides, said openings leading into the storage-spaces, movable panels guided by said grooves to fill the openings and comprising more than one section to enable them to readily pass from the openings intoand out of the inclined storage-spaces, and to be stored therein, and transverse seats located with ends between the posts whereby the outside dimensions of the car can be much reduced,and the seat length and aisle-space preserved.

l2. A car havinga roof and openings in its sides, seats, and stationary panels extending from a point above the seats to the carfloor and defining the lower limits of said openings, posts to longitudinally define said openings, the seats being located between.

the posts and abutting against the stationary paneling,movable paneling to close said openings, and means connected with the roof' for storing said panels.

13.` In a car having side openings and a roof, upright posts to longitudinally define said openings, seats, and stationary panels extending from a point above the seats to the floor and defining the lower limits of said openings, said seats being transversely located between said posts and abutting against the stationary paneling, and movable panels to close said openings, and means for storing said panels in the roof.

14. A car having side openings and a storage-space in Vthe roof, seats, and upright posts to longitudinally define said openings, stationary panels extending from a point above the seats to the fiooring and defining the lower limits of said openings, said seats being transversely located between said posts and abutting against the stationary paneling, movable panels to close said openings, and a guiding means for said panels con-` nected with said posts, whereby same'may be lifted and stored in the space in the roof.

l5. In a car having side openings and a storage-space between the roof and the ceiling or head-lining, seats, and upright posts to longitudinally define said openings, stationary panels extending from a point above the seats to the ooring and defining the lower` limits of said openings, and being located between the posts and abutting against the stationary paneling, movable panels toclose said openings, and guiding means for said panels connected with said posts whereby l they may be lifted and stored in the space between the head-lining and the roof.

16. A car having side openings and storagespaces in the roof, seats and upright posts to longitudinally define said openings, stationary panels extending from a point above the seats tothe flooring, and defining the lower limits of said openings, said seats being transversely located between the posts and abutting against the stationary paneling, means to close said openings, said means including a sash-panel and a guiding means for said sash-panel connected with the said posts and leading to the roof-space, whereby the panels may be lifted and stored in the roof.

17. A car having side openings and a storage-space in the roof, seats, and upright posts to define said openings, stationary panels extending from a point above the seats to the floor and defining the lower limits of said openings, said seats being transversely located between the posts and abutting against the stationary paneling, means to close said openings comprising a jointed or two-part panel, and guides on the posts leading to the roofspace, whereby the vsaid jointed panels may be raised and stored therein.

18. A car having side openings, and a storage-space in the roof, seats, and upright posts to longitudinally define said openings, and having grooves in their opposing faces, said seats being transversely located between the posts and abutting against'the stationaryy paneling, movable panels to close the openings and guided by said grooves, whereby they may be raised and stored in the space Within the roof.

19. In a car having side openings, a roof provided with a storage-space, seats, and upright posts vto longitudinally dene said openings, and having grooves in their opposing faces or sides, said seats being transversely located between said posts and abutting against the stationary paneling, means to close said openings comprising jointed or two-part sashpanels guided by said grooves whereby they may be lifted and stored within the roof-space. 20. In a car having side openings, a roof having a storage-space therein, seats, and upright posts to iongitudinally define said openings, stationary panels extendingfrom a point above the seats to the iiooring and deiining IIO faces or sides, said openings leading into the storage-spaces, stationary panels extending from a point above the seats to the floor and detinin g the lower limits of said openings, movable panels guided by said grooves to fill the openings, and comprising more than one section to enable them to readily pass from the openings into and out of the inclined storagespaces, and to be stored therein, said seats being transversely located with ends between the posts and abutting against the stationary paneling, whereby lthe outside dimensions of the car can be much reduced and the seat length and aisle-space preserved.

22. In a semiconvertible car having side openings and a roof storage-space, upright posts to define said openings and having grooves on their opposing sides or faces, stationary panels forming the lower part of the sides of the car, removable panels forming the upper part and guided by the grooves in said posts and adapted to be stored in the roof, and transverse seats located between the said posts abutting the stationary panels, whereby a self-contained and narrower car structure having a comparatively large seating capacity is obtained.

23. In a semiconvertible car having side openings and a roof storage-space, upright posts to define said openings, transverse seats located between said posts, stationary panels forming the lower part ofthe sides of the car,

removable panels to ll said openings andadapted to be stored in the roof-space.

24. In a semiconvertible car having side openings and a roof storage-space, upright posts to defi ne said openings, transverse seats located between said posts, stationary panels forming the lower part of the car side, and removable panels, each consisting of one or more sections adapted to fill said openings and to be stored in the root'.

25. In a semiconvertible car having side openings and a roof storage-space, upright posts to deine said openings, transverse seats located between said posts, stationary panels forming the lower part of the car side, and removable sash-panels to ll said openings adapted tobe stored in the ceiling.

26. In a semiconvertible carhaving side openings, and a root' storage-space, upright posts to dene said openings, transverse seats located between said posts, stationary panels forming the lower part of the car side, and removable sash-panels of two or more sections to fill said openings and to be stored in the roof.

27. In a semiconvertible ear having side openings and roof storage-spaces, upright posts leading to said spaces and defining said openings and having grooves in their opposing faces, transverse seats located between said posts, 1stationary panels forming the lower part of the sides of the car, and removable panels for said openings guided by said grooves into the root` storage-spaces.

28. In a semiconvertible car having side openings and roof:` storage-spaces, upright posts leading to said spaces and defining said openings and having grooves in their opposing faces, transverse seats located between the posts, stationary panels forming the lower part of the car to the belt-rail, removable sash-panels to till said openings, and guided by said grooves, the said panels bei-ng constructed to be stored in the roof-space.

29. In a semiconvertible car having side openings forming window-spaces, a roof having a lstorage-space, therein between the roof- 'boards and head lining or ceiling, upright posts defining the side openings, and posts extending into the said roof-spaces, stationary panels forming the lower part of the car sides, transverse seats between the posts and close to the stationary panels, removable panels to close said openings, and guiding means connecting with said posts to direct the same to the roof storage-space when it is desired to open the sides of the car.

30. In a car having side openings, a roof having a storage-space therein, posts to define'the said openings, stationary panels for the lower part of the sides of the car, a double row of transverse seats of the usual lengths between said posts, an aisle of the usual width between the rows, removable panels to fill said openings above the stationary panels, and guiding means connected with the IOO IIO

posts for the said panels whereby they may be stored in the roof of the car.

3l. The combination in asemiconvertible car having side openings, a roof provided with laterally-expanded storage-spaces, posts to define said openings and having grooves leading into and lying within the storagespaces, of stationary panels defining the lower part of said openings, and movable'panels for closing said openings comprising a plurality of flexibly-connected sections adapted to be moved in the grooves to the roof-spaces, and stored therein in a space shorter than their length.

32. The combination in a semiconvertible car having side openings, a Vroof provided with laterally-expanded storage-spaces, posts to define said openings, stationary panels forming the lower part of the sides of the car, of movable panels comprising a plurality of flexibly-connected and bodily-movable sections forming the upper part of the paneling and adapted to till said openings, and guiding means connected with the said posts and entering and lying Within said spaces, whereby the said upper panels may be pushed up into and stored Within the space Within the roof".

33. The combination in a semiconvertible car having side openings, a root` having laterally-expanded storage-spaces,posts to define said openings, and stationarypanels to form the lower part of the sides of the car, transverse seats having their ends located between the posts and against the stationary paneling, of movable panels comprising a plurality of sections for closing said openings, guides in said posts for the said sectional panels, said guides entering the storage-spaces whereby the same may be pushed up into and stored within the said roof storage-space.

34. In a semiconvertible car having side openings, a roof having storage-spaces therein, posts to define said openings, stationary panels forming the base portion of the sides of the car, sash-panels between the posts to fill the said openings, and guides on the posts to direct the said sash-panels into the space within the root` when they are raised.

35. In a semiconvertible car having side openings, a roof having storage-spaces therein, posts to define said openings, stationary panels forming the base portions of the sides of the cai-,sash-panels to fill said openings and consisting of more than one section for more convenient storage purposes, and guides on the posts for said sash-panels, whereby they can be pushed up into the roof-space.

36. In a semiconvertible car having side openings, a roof having storage-spaces therein between the ceiling or head lining and roofboards, posts to define said openings and having inclined extensions entering the said spaces, stationary panels for the lower parts of the car sides, sectional sashpanels to fill said openings and adapted to be pushed up into said inclined roof-space, and guiding adapted to travel bodily in the direction of their length in the grooves along the posts into and out of said pockets.

38. In a car having side openings and a roof storage-space, roof-pockets or storage-spaces, grooved posts to define the openings, stationary base-panels, movable sash-panels, and fieXible curtains comprising a series of slats secured together and adapted to be pulled down to the base-panel, or tobe pushed up into the storage-space Within the roof, the sash-panels being likewise adapted.

39. The combination, in a semiconvertible car, of the lower panel having the rail 13, posts extending up to the roof-section, pockets or spaces in the roof-section, separate grooves formed in each of the posts extending from said rail into and within said pockets, an articulated curtain bodily movable in the inner grooves, and a panel having a plurality of parts fieXibly connected movable in the outer of the grooves, whereby either the curtain or panel may be lowered to said rail or bodily stored in the pockets.

Signed in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, this 9th day of January, 1901.

JOHN A. BRILL.

Witnesses:

J W. CAMAC, R. ELLA HAPPERSETT. 

